India's tour of NZ forces ICL T20 delay

Melbourne: The Indian Cricket League has postponed its Twenty20 tournament scheduled next month as it clashed with India's tour of New Zealand, ICL board member Dean Jones said.

Jones said the global financial crisis and the fact that the Indian team's tour of New Zealand would have clashed with the ICL were key reasons for the decision.

He said the tournament would be played later in the year.

"The financial crisis played a part but mainly we didn't want to clash with India's New Zealand tour," Jones said.

"The tournament will be played later in the year - absolutely. I am very confident," Jones was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph.

The newspaper claimed that former Australia players Michael Kasprowicz, Jimmy Maher, Ian Harvey, Stuart Law, Jason Gillespie and Damien Martyn were told by e-mail this week the ICL's March tournament would not take place.

The players have been told that their six-figure contract fees are, however, not under threat, it said.
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B'desh upbeat despite exodus as NZ loom

Bangladesh are confident the exodus of players to the unofficial Indian Cricket League (ICL) would not cripple the national team in next month's home series against New Zealand, a cricket official said on Thursday. Former Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar and 12 other leading players signed for the Twenty20 league on Tuesday. The board has said it would slap 10-year bans on those playing in unofficial tournaments. "No doubt it is a setback for us," Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) media chief Ahmed Sazzadul Alam told Reuters. "But we are confident that we have enough players in the pipeline to fill the void. Bangladesh, who play three one-dayers and two tests against New Zealand, have only won one of their previous 53 tests (47 defeats) since making their debut in 2000. "The players waiting in the pipeline are equally talented," Alam said. "The only thing we will be missing is the experience of a few players." Among those who have signed up for the ICL, only Alok Kapali, Farhad Reza and Dhiman Ghosh were in the Bangladesh squad which played three one-dayers against Australia this month. Batsmen Shariar Nafees and Aftab Ahmed played in the previous test series, at home against South Africa in February. At least seven contracted players including Bashar, Nafees and Aftab have put in requests for retirement with BCB without giving any reason. Alam said many key players had not joined ICL. "Most of the players like Mohammad Ashraful, Mashrafe Mortaza, Sakib Al Hassan, Tamim Iqbal, Abdur Razzak and Shahadat Hossain who are regulars in the national team, are still with us. "Our bowling department is not at all affected with their departure." New Zealand arrive in Bangladesh on Sept.30 and play two ODIs in Dhaka on Oct. 9 and 11 with the final game in Chittagong on Oct.14. The tests will be played in Chittagong and Dhaka from Oct.17 and 25 respectively. The BCB officials are also hopeful its depleted team and the Australian test tour of India happening around the same period would not affect the interest in the Bangladesh series and its income.

source: www.circbuzz.com

Pietersen allowed to carry on reversing

Kevin Pietersen will be allowed to carry on playing his extraordinary 'reverse slog-sweep' after MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club), cricket's rule-makers, announced they would not be outlawing the 'switch-hit'.

"MCC believes that the 'switch-hit' stroke is exciting for the game of cricket," said a statement issued by MCC following a meeting at it's Lord's headquarters in London on Tuesday. "Indeed, the stroke conforms to the Laws of Cricket and will not be legislated against." Pietersen, who effectively became a left rather than right-handed batsman when using the shot to twice hit New Zealand medium-pacer Scott Styris for six during an unbeaten century in England's opening one-day international win at the Riverside on Sunday, welcomed the ruling. "I am very pleased by the MCC's decision and I think it's the right one not just for me or England but the game as a whole. "It's important that we as players are innovative and if this shot helps make cricket more exciting and entertaining for spectators then that has to be good for the sport."

Some critics branded Pietersen's shot 'unfair' because bowlers, unlike batsmen, have to inform the umpire with which hand they will be delivering the ball and from which side of the wicket or risk being penalised.

"I don't agree with the argument that it is unfair on the bowlers," Pietersen, training at Edgbaston where the second one-day international of a five-match series takes place on Wednesday, said in an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) statement. "It's an extremely high risk shot and there will be plenty of bowlers out there who will think that it gives them a great opportunity to get me out," added Pietersen whose reverse sixes were the highlights of an innings of 110 not out, which propelled England to a 114-run victory.

His view was backed up by MCC which said: "MCC acknowledges that while bowlers must inform umpires and batsmen of their mode of delivery, they do not provide a warning of the type of delivery that they will bowl (for example, an off-cutter or a slower ball).

"It therefore concludes that the batsman should have the opportunity - should they wish - of executing the 'switch-hit' stroke." However, MCC accepted that consequences remained for both the interpretation of the lbw and wide rules by a batsman attempting a 'switch-hit', saying that they would "continue to research and discuss these implications".

source: cricbuzz.com